The present invention generally relates to tape loading apparatuses in recording and/or reproducing apparatuses, and more particularly to a tape loading apparatus which accurately and stably maintains a predetermined tape travelling path, by positively supporting and holding, at a predetermined position, a member for pulling a tape out from a cassette to load the tape onto a predetermined tape travelling path in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
Conventionally, as an apparatus for loading a magnetic tape accommodated within a cassette which is loaded onto a predetermined position of a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus, by pulling the magnetic tape outside from the cassette and loading the magnetic tape onto a predetermined tape travelling path of the magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus, there was a device in which a rotary ring for surrounding a guide drum provided with rotary magnetic heads, is provided. In this apparatus, a pole embeddedly provided on the ring engages to and pulls out the magnetic tape outside from the cassette upon rotation of the ring, to load the tape onto a predetermined tape travelling path. However, in this conventional apparatus, the construction of the tape loading apparatus is complex, since the ring having a large diameter must be rotated outside of the guide drum. Furthermore, this conventional apparatus was especially disadvantageous in that it was difficult to apply the apparatus to a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus for home use because of the complex construction and the large size of the apparatus.
In addition, as another conventional tape loading apparatus, there was an apparatus provided with a pair of tape pulling-out mechanisms respectively having a tape pulling-out pole. Each of the above pair of tape pulling-out mechanisms of the conventional apparatus comprises a pair of levers respectively rotatable in mutually opposite directions where the pair of levers are respectively provided with a tape pulling-out pole embeddedly fixed to the tip end thereof, a pair of locking members for locking the tape pulling-out poles provided on these levers at predetermined rotated positions, and a pair of pushing levers for supporting and holding the tape pulling-out poles at locked positions by rotating and pushing the poles from the rear against the locking members, after the poles have rotated to positions where the poles are to be locked by the locking members. Further detailed description of the construction of this conventional apparatus is given in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,699 of which the assignee is the same as that of the present application.
However, in this conventional apparatus, the construction of the apparatus is complex since two pairs of levers are used, and a large space is required for the rotating range. Further, it becomes necessary to position these pairs of levers provided on the poles at differing heights so that the levers do not make contact with each other, because these levers are in an intercrossing state on the plan view. Accordingly, the construction of the apparatus becomes complex, and was disadvantageous in that the adjusting operation upon assembling of the apparatus is troublesome.